Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/13/msi-wind-u115-rated-at-15-hours-of-battery-life-torn-apart-for/
Filed under: Laptops
MSI Wind U115 rated at 15 hours of battery life, torn apart for its trouble originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/13/arm-based-netbooks-primed-to-invade-computex/
Filed under: Laptops
ARM-based netbooks primed to invade Computex? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/12/brothers-sv-100b-bluetooth-document-viewer-looks-like-an-e-bo/
Filed under: Displays, Handhelds
Brother's SV-100B Bluetooth "Document Viewer" looks like an e-book reader to us originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/12/intel-still-leading-chip-manufacturer-amd-slips-out-of-top-ten/
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Intel rated leading chip manufacturer again, AMD slips out of top ten originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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According to the Wall Street Journal, the problem with debris eradication is that there's no money in it. Anybody can cough up a billion or so to launch a telecom satellite, but anyone who wants NASA or the ESA to start cleaning up has to come up with a plan that costs a lot less.
There's no money in it probably because nothing really bad has happened yet. According to that video down below, shuttle pilots have had near misses 12 times with pieces and parts that could've played serious havoc. Like so many busy intersections that are missing stop lights, the problem may require a fatal collision before money is made available. Though nobody died, the recent mid-air collision of US and Russian satellites was at least some kind of wake-up call.
In the meantime, here are some low-budget proposals:
1. Jonathan Campbell at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL says the answer is lasers, what the WSJ says would be "existing low-power lasers in quick pulses" to "singe the surface of an object in space" to "help point it downward." Campbell calls this Project Orion, as in the great hunter in the sky, but the Orion lasers would be based on land. (Note to self: Don't ever fly over Orion lasers.)
2. Jim Hollopete! r, who w orks for Satellite Communications in Austin, TX, likes water cannons mounted to rockets, or as the Journal says, "aging rockets loaded with water to spray orbiting junk" thereby gradually pushing it towards the atmostphere to burn up, along with the spent rocket itself. "The water would turn to steam," says the Journal.
3. Heiner Klinkrad, head of ESA's Space Debris Office in Darmstadt, Germany, thinks we should give a hoot and just not litter. Rockets should not drop bolts and straps when they separate, and satellites should commit space hara-kiri, by steering themselves toward the atmosphere when their job is done. He's also looking into garbage collection strategies.
What definitely won't work:
• Big magnets - There's no iron in space debris.
• Powerful lasers - Would just make more space junk.
• Strong Nets - Cuz you're in space, not in some meadow chasing butterflies.
Read the full article at the WSJ for more good stuff, or watch their video here:
[WSJ]
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/12/nintendo-doubles-up-sonys-psp-ships-100-millionth-ds-handheld/
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds
Nintendo doubles up Sony's PSP, ships 100 millionth DS handheld originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/12/dells-multi-touch-studio-one-19-pc/
Continue reading Dell's multi-touch Studio One 19 PC makes exclusive debut in Japan
Filed under: Desktops
Dell's multi-touch Studio One 19 PC makes exclusive debut in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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BackTrack can be installed to a regular boot cd, a USB drive, installed to the hard drive, or even downloaded as a VMware virtual machine. For our testing, we used the BackTrack 3 stable release instead of the Beta 4 version since most commenters directly mentioned version 3 in the original call for contenders.
After inserting the LiveCD and starting the boot process, you'll be prompted to choose which window environment to load up—the distribution includes the more graphically pleasing KDE, or the trimmed-down Fluxbox window manager.
Once you've booted to the desktop you'll notice the default resolution is 800x600, but can be easily changed through the system tray icon to any resolution.
The slick system monitoring application on the right-hand side of the first screenshot doesn't get started automatically—to open it, you'll need to use the Alt+F2 shortcut key and type leetmode into the command window. You can unlock the position of the monitors through the context menu, and drag them wherever on the screen you'd like.
One of the more interesting features in the Live CD is the inclusion of the excellent and previously mentioned Yakuake drop-down terminal window, which can be launched through the Alt+F2 dialog, or found under the System menu. Once started, simply use the F12 key to toggle the slide-down terminal.
Since this distribution is focused on security, you can find a ton of security-focused tools under the Backtrack menu, although there are far too many to mention every one of them here—you'll have to explore them on your own.
One of the more useful security tools for everyday use is the chntpw utility (found in the menus under Privilege Escalation -> PasswordAttacks) that can reset any Windows password easily from the command line. For more on this command, I've previously written an article about ch! anging y our forgotten Windows password.
BackTrack 3 is a free download, works almost anywhere Linux does. Be sure to check out the original Hive Five for the rest of the Live CD choices from your fellow Lifehacker readers, or learn how to rescue files with Knoppix.
Windows/Mac/Linux (All platforms): The free, multi-platform iTunes assaulter (if not quite killer) Songbird busts out great improvements for a 1.1 version, including a one-click album art grabber, performance improvements, and loads o' little tweaks.
The killer new feature is a single menu option, under "Tools," that scans your entire music collection and grabs the relevant album art from Last.fm's web site. That alone makes the oft-improved, awesomely extensible music manager worth a look. But most of the big improvements in this release have been under the hood, so to speak:
We made some substantial gains this release:
* Reduced memory use with a large library by 40%
* Cut CPU usage during playback by half
* Fixed playback memory leaks
* Made library caching configurable
* Added batching to the media importer, reducing memory use by 60%
* Reduced Mac download size 45%
* Fewer Crashes: We've worked hard to identify and fix ten of the most common crashes in Songbird.
Songbird certainly doesn't suffer from a little tighter operation—it's competing, after all, with the 800-lb. gorilla named iTunes, so having a clearly distinct profile is a good stance.
Check out Songbird's more visible improvements by clicking through our short gallery:
Songbird 1.1 is a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/xy-PlgWvx5E/take-pinhole-pics-with-your-digital-camera
For your digital version of the pinhole camera, you'll need some black paper, aluminum foil, a rubber band, and tape. Ah right, and the digital camera. From there, the essence of the pinhole camera remains the same. You block out all the light around your camera, make a pinhole, and then set your camera to an ultra-long exposure. It may seem silly to turn your digital camera into a pinhole camera, considering that it already is a camera, but it's a fun project. If you give it a try, be sure to read through the comments for a few helpful tips on optimal pinhole size.
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bpClKG3Mjk4/dealzmodo-t+mobile-g1-for-98
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fwlv-mP0m68/frost-snow-sport-car-changes-tires-for-treads
The 2-seat Frost was created by Norsk designed Anders Gloslie as a concept proposal for Th!nk, an electric car company from his country. The cracks in its surface hides the lighting system, while the rear includes massive fans for adjusting the temperature of the electric engine and the interior, as well as sensors that send precise information about weather conditions to the cockpit's screens. [Think Frost via Dvice]
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/new-ipod-shuffle-requires-extra-adapter-for-third-party-headphon/
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
New iPod shuffle requires extra adapter for third-party headphones originally ! appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/screen-grabs-24-offers-up-oqo-mac-mini-bogo-special/
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.
Continue reading Screen Grabs: '24' offers up OQO, Mac mini BOGO special
Filed under: Desktops, Handhelds
Screen Grabs: '24' offers up OQO, Mac mini BOGO special originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/t-mobile-g1-available-at-amazon-for-97/
Filed under: Cellphones
T-Mobile G1 available at Amazon for $97 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/packard-bell-drops-dot-netbook-in-favor-of-new-unannounced-model/
Filed under: Laptops
Packard Bell drops "dot" netbook in favor of new, unannounced model originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/fusion-io-breaks-out-roomy-nimble-iodrive-duo-ssds/
Filed under: Storage
Fusion-io breaks out roomy, nimble ioDrive Duo SSDs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | ! CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/cupcake-android-update-coming-to-g1-in-april/
Filed under: Cellphones
Cupcake Android update coming to G1 in April originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/viliv-s5-mid-detailed-impressions-now-with-video/
Continue reading Viliv S5 MID detailed impressions, now with video!
Filed under: Handhelds
Viliv S5 MID detailed impressions, now with video! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/apricorn-rolls-out-pocketable-aegis-mini-240gb-1-8-inch-hard-dri/
Filed under: Storage
Apricorn rolls out pocketable Aegis Mini 240GB 1.8-inch hard drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/mitsubishi-shows-off-3d-touch-panel-display/
Filed under: Displays
Mitsubishi shows off "3D touch panel" display originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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This isn't some neat concept, it's an actual construction, penned by Rem Koolhaas and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, and built by Prada with help from LG and Hyundai Motor. It's framed out of steel and covered entirely with a "smooth elastic membrane" and it will be situated in Seoul, Korea, where it will be used for concerts, fashion shows and other cultural events.
I think the best illustration of it is this piece from Freshness Mag, when the Transformer was only in the planning stage:
As you can see, the hexagonal side is flat, and the square has some bleachers, so it works for "cinema" mode. The circular side has a giant cylindrical platform in the middle of it, which houses a projector when it's in the air for cinema mode, but then is used as a performance stage when it's flat on the ground in "special event" mode.
Shot from the air and as yet unpainted, it doesn't look like much, and reminds me less of the robotic Transformers of the 1980s than it does of the Dungeons & Dragons dice from roughly the same epoch. The question is, how in hell do you ma! ke sure that the thing is on level ground? And while we're talking, who has to hose all the mud off of it when it gets rotated to a new position? And most importantly, who gets to drive the crane? Ooh ooh, me me! [Dezeen]
(If you have the time, you can go through the whole video and Pattie Maes' explanation. If not, go to minute 3:10, where the cool demonstrations begin. There, Pranav Mistry—the MIT student who has implemented Sixth Sense—shows how it works)
Basically, Sixth Sense is a mini-projector coupled with a camera and a cellphone—which acts as the computer and your connection to the Cloud, all the information stored on the web. Sixth Sense can also obey hand gestures, like in the infamous Minority Report.
However, instead of requiring you to be in front of a big screen like Tom Cruise, Sixth Sense can do its magic—and a lot more—everywhere, even while you are jumping hysteric over Oprah's sofa.
The camera recognizes objects around you instantly, with the micro-projector overlaying the information on any surface, including the object itself or your hand. Then, you can access or manipulate the information using your fingers. Need to make a call? Extend your hand on front of the projector and numbers will appear for you to click. Need to know the time? Draw a circle on your wrist and a watch will appear. Want to take a photo? Just make a square with your fingers, highlighting what you want to frame, and the system will make the photo—which you can later organize with the others! using y our own hands over the air.
But those are just novelty applications. The true power of Sixth Sense lies on its potential to connect the real world with the Internet, and overlaying the information on the world itself. Imagine you are at the supermarket, thinking about what brand of soap is better. Or maybe what wine you should get for tonight's dinner. Just look at objects, hold them on your hands, and Sixth Sense will show you if it's good or bad, or if it fits your preferences or not.
Now take this to every aspect of your everyday life. You can be in a taxi going to the airport, and just by taking out your boarding pass, Sixth Sense will grab real time information about your flight and display it over the ticket. You won't need to do any action. Just hold it in front of your and it will work.
The key here is that Sixth Sense recognizes the objects around you, displaying information automatically and letting you access it in any way you want, in the simplest way possible.
Clearly, this has the potential of becoming the ultimate "transparent" user interface for accessing information about everything around us. If they can get rid of the colored finger caps and it ever goes beyond the initial development phase, that is. But as it is now, it may change the way we interact with the real world and truly give everyone complete awareness of the environment around us.
Or just make a few people look like dorks. It can go either way, really. Whatever it is, I want to try it. [TED]
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/h6l3TeZIcTQ/the-draganflyer-x6-uav-police-edition
The X6 is a spy drone with wireless video and still cameras (in hi-def, infra-red and 0 lux flavors) that can fly autonomously, or as a remote-controlled bot. It has 11 sensors (including gyros, accelerometers, barometers, magnetometers and GPS) and is so easy to pilot, a Wii gamer could do it. Now it will be used by the Ontario Provincial Police and the Saskatoon Police to patrol crime scenes and help gather evidence.
At it's core, this is the same Draganflyer X6 we've come to know and love in the past, but now with a shiny police badge and a healthy distaste for crime. Canadian perps, be afraid. Be very, very afraid. [Draganfly]
When I say that the prior jailbreak methods left your iPod "tethered", I don't mean it in the internet sharing sense. For the iPod, "tethered" means that you have to connect your jailbroken iPod to a computer just to start it up, or with the best solutions, to boot into the jailbroken mode. This new method throws off that dependency, leaving you with a properly jailbroken device. It requires a little work and it's no QuickPWN, but it gets the job done. But really, get used to it—given Apple's posturing on the issue, I don't think we'll be reliving those halcyon days of 2007 when you could jailbreak by visiting a website. At least, not anytime soon. [iPodTouchFans—Thanks, Hemal]
That someone has accomplished 3D motion tracking isn't the news here—it's that they've done it in single panel, without extra cameras or sensors and with a very high level of precision. How high? It measures your finger distance in steps of about .08mm, up to a distance of 20mm, and does so quickly enough that it can accurately guess its approach speed. Because of its short range, Mitsubishi says this tech will be most useful for mobile devices, which could add an extra method of interaction—hovering—to devices.
What's really exiting is to imagine how this could change interfaces. Mitsu has a few examples already, but the possibilities are endless. Consider a plugin for your phonebook that senses apprehensive hovering and gives relevant advice? ("What are you doing? SHE BROKE YOUR HEART?") or, more realistically, right-click-like controls for touch-only devices like the iPhone, which could display additional information like link URLs, file previews, extended contact info.
Though they haven't given a clue as to when they'll bring this tech market, they did say that "it will first be used for our products," and, promisingly, that it took "only a few changes" to a currently available panel to achieve the effect, and shouldn't significantly increase costs. [Tech-on]
Reuters is also confirming the rumors from the Commercial Times about Apple ordering 10-inch touchscreens for third quarter.
They are quoting an unnamed source. This may just be what others have reported already or maybe Reuters actually did some original reporting and this is a new source from the touchscreen manufacturer. Whatever it is, now I'm excited. [Reuters]
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/smartq-5-gets-peeped-for-reals/
Continue reading SmartQ 5 gets peeped, for reals
Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video
SmartQ 5 gets peeped, for reals originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/11/habey-intros-atom-n270-powered-mini-htpc-makes-it-crunch-1080p/
Filed under: Media PCs
HABEY intros Atom N270-powered mini HTPC, makes it crunch 1080p originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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